Raya and the Last Dragon
Raya and the Last Dragon is an upcoming American computer-animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Walt Disney Animation Studios for distribution by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The 59th film produced by the studio, it is directed by Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins, co-directed by John Ripa,[1] produced by Osnat Shurer, written by Adele Lim, and stars the voices of Awkwafina and Cassie Steele.
Raya and the Last Dragon | |
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Official logo | |
Directed by |
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Produced by | Osnat Shurer |
Written by | |
Starring | |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
Release date |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Raya and the Last Dragon is scheduled to be released theatrically in the United States on March 12, 2021.
Premise
In the mysterious realm called Kumandra, a warrior named Raya seeks for the last dragon.[2]
Cast
- Cassie Steele as Raya, a fearless and passionate warrior in search for the last dragon.[3]
- Awkwafina as Sisu, a water dragon who can transform into a human being and is the last of her kind.[4]
Production
Development
On May 24, 2018, That Hashtag Show reported that Walt Disney Animation Studios was developing an animated film titled Dragon Empire, which would be the directorial debut of story artists Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins, written by Kiel Murray.[5] In October of the same year, Deadline reported that Adele Lim was hired to retouch the script, and that Osnat Shurer had been hired to produce the movie.[6] On August 24, 2019, Disney officially announced the film during their D23 Expo Walt Disney Animation Studios' presentation panel, alongside with Awkwafina and Cassie Steele.[3]
Animation and design
The film is set in a fictional fantasy land called Kumandra, inspired by Southeast Asian cultures from countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Laos.[7][8] To research, the production team traveled to Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.[9][10][11]
Release
Raya and the Last Dragon was originally scheduled to be released in the United States on November 25, 2020.[3] However due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pixar's film, Soul took its November slot, delaying the film’s release date to March 12, 2021.[12]
References
- "John Ripa". Instagram.
- @TheDisInsider (August 24, 2019). "combination of classic Disney and kung-fu movies. The film is set in a mysterious land called Kumandra. The region is split into five sections, and Raya is a warrior on the search for the last dragon in the world" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- Radulovic, Petrana (August 24, 2019). "Disney announces Raya and the Last Dragon as next animated film". Polygon. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
- "Promotional Image For Disney's 'Raya and the Last Dragon' Has Debuted -". July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
- Shuler, Skyler (May 24, 2018). "EXCLUSIVE: Disney Animation Studios Gearing Up For DRAGON EMPIRE". That Hashtag Show. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- Wiseman, Andreas (October 9, 2018). "Disney Sets 'Crazy Rich Asians' Scribe Adele Lim & 'Moana' Producer Osnat Shurer For Animated Pic". Deadline. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
- "Everything We Learned About Disney's Upcoming Movies: Frozen 2, Cruella, Pixar's Soul, and More". io9. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
- "D23: Disney Animation Reveals Raya and the Last Dragon". ComingSoon.net. August 24, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
- Hughes, Brad (August 4, 2019). "New Disney Animated Film Announced – Raya and the Last Dragon (Full Details)". Inside the Magic. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
- Sirani, Jordan (August 26, 2019). "Raya and the Last Dragon: New Walt Disney Animation Studios Movie Announced at D23". IGN. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
- "D23 EXPO: THE ART OF DISNEY STORYTELLING (COMPLETE PANEL) - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- Fuster, Jeremy (April 13, 2020). "Disney Moves 'Soul,' 'Raya and the Last Dragon' Release Dates". TheWrap. Retrieved April 13, 2020.